The locked gates of Saheed Park . Pictures by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, June 15: The civic body is yet to throw open the Saheed Park at Nuapatna to the public.

Due to inordinate delay in completion of various civil and electrical works, the park has not yet been opened to visitors since its inauguration in December last year.

The park was hurriedly inaugurated by the previous council much before the model code of conduct came into effect for the municipal elections that were held in February.

“It is unfortunate that though various works were not completed, the park was inaugurated hurriedly last year. It shows that the previous council wanted to take credit for the project which is now wallowing in neglect,” said Satyabrat Das, a resident of Mangalabag.

Some 13 fibre statues of legendary personalities and Odia heros has been installed at the park. But, work on plantations, construction of pathways and other basic infrastructure are yet to be done.

“We hope that that new council of the Cuttack Municipal Corporation will undertake measures to complete the pending works at the earliest,” said Dilip Bhuiyan, another local resident.

Another local resident said that the civic body had mooted the proposal of the park in 2005, while there was a delay in carrying out works for the proposed project owing to controversy over naming of the park.

An official of the corporation said that the Saheed Park was being constructed on the lines of the Moghul Garden in New Delhi. The park will have five water fountains, a dedicated rose garden and several flowering plants.

The entire project was estimated at Rs 20 lakh. However, the construction was stopped for about four months because of the municipal and subsequent general elections.

“Because of restriction and enforcement of model code of conducts during the general elections, there were problems in carrying out development activities and resolving issues for the Saheed Park. However, the project work has been reviewed last week and all the pending works would be completed by June end,” said municipal commissioner Gyanaranjan Das.

Another official in the corporation said that besides Saheed Park, a blue print was also being prepared for the development and maintenance of 27 parks within the limits of the corporation.